About Smart Growth

Lehigh Study

Lee Mitigation

Brownfields
 
Greyfields

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Agendas
 
 
 
 
of
Smart Growth
 

Approved Recommendations

County Links

Smart Growth Links

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

The Smart Growth Committee is composed of fifteen members, with three appointed by each of Lee County's five member Board of County Commissioners. In addition, there are three ex-officio members, which are the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, The Chairman of the Lee County School Board, and the County Manager.

SMART GROWTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 1:

JILL TYRER

Occupation: Editor, Gulfshore Business magazine

Education: Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Science in business management, University of North Carolina at Asheville

Home: Cape Coral

JACK LUFT

Occupation: consultant in Comprehensive Planning, Urban Design and Land Development Regulations.  Provides expert witness testimony on Planning & Zoning Issues; presently Town Planner for Surfside, Florida; Retired from 28 years with Planning Department of City of Miami – Director of Planning, Development, Asset Management and Redevelopment Authority; Vice-chairman for ten years of Miami Beach Design Review Board; Member of Governor Graham’s Florida Bicycle Advisory Committee.  Member of Florida Smart Growth Task Force for Department of Community Affairs – 1995-1998.  Member – American Institute of Certified Planners.  Member of Urban Land Institute Advisory Task Force – Akron, Ohio & Missoula Montana.

Education: Bachelors of Landscape Architecture and Masters of Urban and Regional Planning – Iowa State University. 

Home: Sanibel

WALTER FLUEGEL

Occupation: Urban Planner-Principal of Mizner Planning Group, LLC, with 21 years planning experience in Florida, 8 years in public sector (City of Boca Raton, City of Plantation, Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority and Highlands County) and 13 years of private sector experience focusing on Mixed-Use Development, Commercial and Master Planned Communities.

Education: Bachelor of Arts-Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois and Culver Military Academy.

Home: Cape Coral

ROBERT CHILMONIK

Past Occupation: Heinz Management; Nabisco Management and Lee County School District - Business Education Teacher

 

Education: B.A. in History, Mars Hill College - 1976 and M.S. in Computer Science Education, Nova Southeastern University - 1999.

 

Lee County School Board Liaison: Finance Advisory Committee, Insurance Task Force and Smart Growth Committee.

 

Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 2:
DR. BILL HAMMOND (CO-CHAIRMAN)

Occupation: professor in ecological studies, interdisciplinary studies and marine systems at Florida Gulf Coast University

Education: bachelor’s in science education and biological sciences from
Cortland State University; master’s in science education from Cortland State University; doctorate in environmental theory and education from Simon Fraser University

Home: Fort Myers 

O. LEE FORD

Occupation: self-employed, helps small businesses, such as concrete or sod companies, get contracts to perform work Education: attended St. Mary’s of the Plains College in Dodge City, Kan., for one year.

Home: Fort Myers

BILL MANTIS

Occupation: former contractor/builder/carpenter and a teacher of social studies. Author of The $50, 5 hour Canoe Sail Rig: a complete, builder, user, experimenter, historical guide and philosophical treatise (www.MediterraneanAvenue.com) and contributing writer for Small Craft Advisor magazine.

Organizations: Greater Pine Island Civic Association (treasurer); Coccoloba Chapter, Florida Native Plant Society; Calusa Land Trust.

Education: BA in Psychology, Yale University. Masters of Arts in Teaching, Harvard University

Home: Pine Island
 

Appointed by Commission district 3:

ELLEN LINDBLAD

Occupation: Long Range Planner for the School District of Lee County

Education: bachelor’s in recreation from Southern Illinois University and
certified in conservation land acquisition from Duke University

Home: South Fort Myers

ALLISON MEGRATH, AICP

Occupation: Land use planning, zoning and permitting consultant.  President/Principal Planner at Land Planning Solutions, Inc., a Bonita Springs based state certified Woman/Minority Business Enterprise (W/MBE).   Currently, Promised Lands Section. Immediate Past Chair, ULI SW Florida Sustainability Committee member, American Farmland Trust member and Small Town and Rural Planning Division of American Planning Association Legislative Committee member.  Chair of Promised Lands Section of APA Florida, 2007-2009.  National APA Conference Delegate for State of Florida, 2006 & 2008. 

Ms. Megrath is committed to promoting sustainable development, the protection of long-term agriculture and the preservation of Florida’s excellent natural resources. 

Education: Bachelor of Arts (Hons.), University of Toronto, Canada

Home: Naples

VACANT

 

Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 4:
WHITNEY GRAY

Occupation: Southwest Area Manager of Grimail Crawford, Inc., a transportation engineering company; former Clearwater (Florida) City Commissioner and board member of the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization

Education: BS in Zoology from University of Florida; currently enrolled in UF Certificate of Environmental Policy and Management program.

Home: North Fort Myers

CARIE CALL

Occupation: Transportation and environmental planner for PBSJ. Former newspaper reporter, environment and government, 20 years.

Education: B.A. Communications, Florida Southern College. Completed a fellowship in environmental science and law at University of Colorado in 2001.

Home: Pine Island

DR. MARGARET BANYAN

Occupation:

Consultant in Comprehensive Planning, Community Planning, Public Participation Facilitation, and Strategic Planning.  Presently a Community Planner for Johnson Engineering, Inc. Fort Myers, Florida.  Research interest in the relationship between the built environment and the civic capacity of people and organizations.  Former faculty member at Florida Gulf Coast University, former Director of the Center for Public Participation, and former Hatfield Resident at the National Policy Consensus Center.  Member—American Society of Public Administration.

Education: B.S. in History – University of Oregon.  Masters of Public Administration – Portland State University.  Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy – Portland State University. 

Home: Fort Myers

Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 5:
RONALD J. HAMEL

Occupation: Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association that includes a geographical service area of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry Counties

Education:  A journalism/public relation's honors graduate of the University of Florida and a graduate of Leadership Florida.

Home: Fort Myers

MARGARET FINEBERG

Occupation: Legislative Administrator to Councilman Thomas Leonardo, Ward 6, City of Fort Myers

Home: Fort Myers

CHARLES "GARY" VERWILT

Occupation: Manager of Realty Executives SW Florida. He holds the Graduate REALTOR® Institute designation (GRI), the SRES designation, and the “At Home With Diversity” designation.

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Education, Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision and 57 post graduate credits. Completed course work in Naples School of Real Estate, Ed Plofker School of Real Estate, REALTOR® Board Seminars, Academy of Real Estate Broker School, and the Graduate REALTOR® Institute. Currently is the Director for the Florida Association of REALTORS®

Home: Fort Myers

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EX-OFFICIO:

Position Continuance is to be determined  

LEE COUNTY MANAGER:

KAREN B. HAWES

(239) 533-2221

STAFF SUPPORT:

WAYNE DALTRY, SMART GROWTH DIRECTOR

(239) 533-2221